Science Fair Guide RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

SCIENCE FAIR GUIDE 1

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PAR

T 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Science Fair Guide

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

2 HOLT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Hands-on ScienceThe most obvious goal of a science project is to extend a student’sunderstanding of science. Science is hands-on by nature, and there isno doubt that hands-on experiences facilitate the learning process.The scientific method allows scientists to collect and analyze data ina strategic and unified manner. When students use the scientificmethod to design and execute a project, they use the same steps professional researchers use to gather new information.

Building Scientific Confidence More importantly, science proj-ects make science more fun and relevant to the student. Every student,regardless of aptitude, can benefit from planning and executing aninquiry-based science project. A science project can be a great way tospark a student’s interest in science or to help a student develop abroader interest in research.

Philosophy of Science FairsScience fairs range in scale from a single class of students sharingtheir projects to an international event offering scholarship moneyas prizes. From the largest science fair to the smallest, science fairsgenerally share a common philosophy and similar values:

• emphasis on using the scientific method

• investigation by experimentation (inquiry-based learning)

• development of critical thinking skills

• opportunity for a positive learning experience

• extension of formal science education

How to Use This GuideWhile a science project is entirely the product of a student’s ingenu-ity and work, motivation from teachers and parents is invaluable.The Science Fair Guide leads teachers, parents, and students throughthe process of developing a science project.

What’s in This Guide Using the scientific method, this guidedivides the science project into five phases:

• Phase 1: Generating an Idea

• Phase 2: Research and Planning

• Phase 3: Data Collection and Analysis

• Phase 4: Writing a Report

• Phase 5: Creating and Exhibiting a Display

For each phase, you will find a set of management tips for teachers,an instruction worksheet for students, and a handout encouragingparental involvement. This guide also provides three progressreports, allowing each participant—the teacher, the student, and the


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

parents—to monitor the student’s work. Also included are sampletimelines, rubrics, and safety guidelines. For additional resources onideas and equipment, see pp. 28–29.

Rules, Rules, Rules Often a school will conduct its own sciencefair. The winners of the school science fair may enter a citywide sci-ence fair, and the winners of a citywide science fair may enter aregional science fair. Before assigning the project, consider whetheryour students should prepare their science project to meet therequirements of subsequent science fairs.

Regulations vary from science fair to science fair and even fromyear to year, so it is essential to contact the science fair sponsors forcurrent listing of rules and regulations. Some science fairs have regis-tration fees and cutoff dates, lists of materials that students are notpermitted to use, and requirements for reports and displays. It isextremely important to be prepared with the necessary informationbefore assigning a science project.

Getting StartedBefore you begin Phase 1, complete these steps using the strategiesthat follow.

1. create a timeline

2. send home a parent letter with a safety guide, a safety contract,and a copy of the timeline

3. hand out Resources for Students and get students excited aboutthe science fair

4. send home Resources for Parents and explain how parents shoulduse the progress reports

1. Timelines Your first step is to create a timeline that will allowplenty of time for students to develop a project that is suitable forentering the chosen science fair. If students are participating in anational science fair, their projects will be more involved, requir-ing more teacher and parental guidance. On the next few pages,you will find sample timelines for a 4-week schedule (page 5), an8-week schedule (pp. 6–7), and a blank timeline (page 8) thatallows you to create a schedule tailored to your students’ needs.Distribute this timeline to both parents and students, lettingthem know in advance what their responsibilities will be.

2. Prepping Parents After you have notified the students of theupcoming activity, you are ready to prepare the parents. You maychoose to send them a notice 1 or 2 weeks before you make thefirst assignment. Include the timeline, which identifies the date

SCHEDULING TIP

On the timeline, having Monday as a completion date for eachassignment will allow parents to help their child over the week-end with library trips, data collection, and other parts of theproject.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


of the science fair and describes when assignments are due. Alsoinclude the Safety Guide (page 33) and Safety Contract (page 34)for parents to read with their child in preparation for the experi-ment. Below is a sample letter.

You can find this letter on the One-Stop Planner CD-ROM.

3. Motivating Students Next, you will want to discuss with stu-dents what a science fair is and get them excited about the event.When you introduce the science fair, give the students theirinstruction worksheets (Part 2: Resources for Students). You caneither hand out Resources for Students in its entirety or as indi-vidual worksheets as the class begins each phase. Either way,make sure students are aware of the due dates for their assign-ments. Also, be certain that they clearly understand the safetyguidelines they are expected to uphold. Distribute the Student’sProgress Reports (pp. 35–36), and explain how they will be used.

4. Request Back-up Finally, send home the parent informationpacket (Part 3 of this guide) so that the parents are prepared tohelp with each phase of the student’s work. Be sure to explainhow they can use the Parent’s Progress Report (pp. 65–66) toguide their children. You will find more about how to use theprogress reports in the Evaluation section of this guide (page 11).

Dear Parent or Guardian,

In the next few weeks, your son or daughter will begin ascience project in our science class. The science project’sobjective is to give every child hands-on experience using thescientific method. In addition, each student will have theopportunity to independently research a topic of his or herinterest. You can help motivate your son or daughter by taking an interest in the project.

Your child will have an opportunity to enter his or her science project in the science fair, which takes place on

. The emphasis of our project is not on win-ning, but on having positive learning experiences and havingfun.

I am including with this letter a copy of a timeline for ourclass projects, a safety guide, and a safety contract. Please goover the safety guide with your child, and have him or herreturn the signed contract. An information packet for parentswill be arriving shortly to keep you informed about how youcan best assist your child with his or her project. Thank youfor your help.

Sincerely,


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Tim

elin

e fo

r a

4-W

eek

Sci

ence

Pro

ject

Sun

day

Mo

nd

ayTu

esd

ayW

edn

esd

ayTh

ursd

ayFr

iday

Satu

rday

Wee

kPh

ase

1

pro

ject

Brai

nsto

rm id

eas

in

is a

ssig

ned

scho

ol a

nd a

t ho

me

over

wee

kend

Libr

ary

Dev

elop

inve

stig

ativ

e q

uest

ion

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 2

rese

arch

day

rep

ort—

end

of

Libr

ary

rese

arch

day

Wee

k 1

Stud

ent-

teac

her

mee

tings

to

conf

irm t

opic

Phas

e 1

Reco

nfirm

hyp

othe

sis

Dev

elop

hyp

othe

sis

with

tea

cher

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 3

In-c

lass

dat

a

Wee

k 2

rep

ort—

end

ofBr

ief

safe

tyco

llect

ion

Phas

e 2

rem

inde

r

In-c

lass

dat

aC

heck

pro

gres

sO

utlin

e du

eIn

-cla

ss d

raft

che

ckco

llect

ion

and

rep

ort—

end

of

Wee

k 3

anal

ysis

Phas

e 3

Begi

n w

ritte

nre

por

tPh

ase

4Be

gin

outli

ne

Writ

ten

rep

ort

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 5

Dis

pla

y du

edu

ere

por

t—en

d of

Rem

inde

r of

Phas

e 4

disp

lay

Ora

l pre

sent

atio

n,

Wee

k 4

req

uire

men

tsp

ract

ice

for

inte

rvie

wSc

ien

ce F

air!

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

repo

rt—

end

ofPh

ase

5

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Tim

elin

e fo

r an

8-W

eek

Sci

ence

Pro

ject

Sun

day

Mo

nd

ayTu

esd

ayW

edn

esd

ayTh

ursd

ayFr

iday

Satu

rday

Wee

kPh

ase

1p

roje

ctBr

ains

torm

idea

s in

is a

ssig

ned

scho

ol a

nd a

t ho

me

over

wee

kend

Libr

ary

Dev

elop

inve

stig

ativ

e q

uest

ion

rese

arch

day

Wee

k 1

Stud

ent-

teac

her

mee

tings

to

conf

irm t

opic

Dev

elop

hyp

othe

sis

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 2

Reco

nfirm

Wee

k 2

rep

ort—

end

ofLi

brar

y re

sear

ch

hyp

othe

sis

with

Phas

e 1

day

teac

her

Libr

ary

rese

arch

Wee

k 3

day

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 3

In-c

lass

dat

are

por

t—en

d of

Brie

f sa

fety

colle

ctio

nW

eek

4Ph

ase

2re

min

der


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Tim

elin

e fo

r an

8-W

eek

Sci

ence

Pro

ject

, co

nti

nu

ed

Sun

day

Mo

nd

ayTu

esd

ayW

edn

esd

ayTh

ursd

ayFr

iday

Satu

rday

In-c

lass

dat

aIn

-cla

ssco

llect

ion

data

col

lect

ion

Wee

k 5

and

anal

ysis

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 4

Out

line

due

rep

ort—

end

ofBe

gin

outli

nePh

ase

3Be

gin

writ

ten

Wee

k 6

rep

ort

Wee

k 7

In-c

lass

W

riten

rep

ort

draf

t ch

eck

due

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Phas

e 5

Dis

pla

y du

ere

por

t—en

dRe

min

der

of

Wee

k 8

of P

hase

4di

spla

yO

ral p

rese

ntat

ion,

req

uire

men

tsp

ract

ice

for

inte

rvie

w

Che

ck p

rogr

ess

Scie

nce

Fai

r!

rep

ort—

end

of P

hase

5

Create Your Own Timeline

Week

Week

Week

Week

Week

Week

Week

Week

Week

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.



Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

EvaluationThe science projects will likely be evaluated twice: first by you for agrade and second by the judges at the science fair. Setting your evalu-ative criteria to reflect the criteria the judges hold for a competitiveproject will be helpful for students who are entering the science fair.Students can then use your evaluation to improve the project beforepresenting it to the judges.

What the Judges Are Looking ForBecause science fairs vary widely, it is of the utmost importance thatyou familiarize yourself with the specific judging criteria of a particu-lar science fair. Many science fairs judge entries using the following criteria:

use of scientific thought 30%

creativity of approach 30%

thoroughness of investigation and research 15%

skill of experimental technique 15%

clarity of expression in presentation and report 10%

Student Understanding The student’s work should be evident inthe project. The scientific process and the manner in which theresearch was conducted tend to outweigh the actual display of infor-mation. The judges will be looking carefully to see that the student

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

The following are suggestions for evaluating a student project orpredicting how a judge will evaluate a project:

• Besides assessing the five categories that appear above, somescience fairs reward memorable presentations or displays.

• A science project should have a clear hypothesis, researchplan, and conclusion.

• Many science fairs will not accept models or demonstrations,only experiments that follow the scientific method.

• Simple library research or an unplanned experiment is notacceptable.

• The student should design a controlled experiment.

• Judges typically evaluate projects using a rubric.

• Projects should be assessed against the other projects in thescience fair or competition, as opposed to being judgedagainst an ideal.

• Judges at most science fairs will be asking themselves howthey would approach the investigative question and whetherthey would draw the same conclusions the student did.

• Creative use of materials should be considered.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


has an understanding of his or her project and is responsible for thefinal product. In a group project, the judges will be looking for evi-dence that each group member completed specified tasks that fur-thered the progress of the group.

Tailoring Evaluation to Criteria of a Particular Fair Eachscience fair differs in the types of science projects that qualify forentry. Some strictly require that students perform experiments thatfollow the scientific method rather than perform demonstrations ofscientific principles. Other science fairs accept inventions, scientificmodels, engineering projects, and informative exhibits. For instance,Invent America, a nonprofit K–8 educational program, holds anational contest in which students can enter inventions that solveeveryday problems. The resources in this guide are tailored for experi-mental science projects. If you choose to broaden the scope of theprojects that you accept, be sure to inform your students and theirparents.

Display RegulationsAlthough the display may not be an important part of your evalua-tion, the judges will evaluate it. Rules regarding acceptable displaymaterials vary. Most science fairs have a long list of items that areunacceptable for display. Restricted items can include everythingfrom living organisms to any chemical, including water. It is alsoimportant to verify the parameters for displays. For example, somescience fairs limit the size of displays to 76 cm deep, 122 cm wide,and 274 cm high, including the height of the table supporting thedisplay. Be sure students have the list of unacceptable display itemsand the required display parameters at the time the projects areassigned.

The Poster Session Preliminary judging sometimes includes a“poster session” in which no electrical power is provided for the dis-plays. The purpose of this session is to maintain the focus on thecreative and scientific aspects of the project and to decrease theimpact of a fancy display.

What to Look ForPositive Learning Many students do not feel like they can winand therefore become discouraged about participating. Emphasizehealthy competition and a positive learning experience over simplywinning. Participating in a science fair allows a student the opportu-nity to take charge of his or her own learning experience and toexplore something that interests him or her. To emphasize positivelearning, your evaluation can focus on the student’s use of the scien-tific method and the amount of effort he or she put into the projectrather than the student’s ability to win a science fair.

Rubrics You may find that some students excel at developing a sci-entifically sound experiment yet are not as talented at expressingwhat they have learned. Others have good oral and written skills butdo not have a firm grasp of the scientific method. Since both thedevelopment process and the clear expression of ideas are importantaspects of a competitive science project, it may be best to focus on


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

these skills in separate evaluations. For this reason, you will findincluded in this guide one rubric that emphasizes the developmentprocess and another that emphasizes the final report and display.You can use these together, or you may choose to develop your ownrubric using the Create Your Own Rubric found on page 14.

Additional checklists and rubrics can be found on the One-Stop Planner CD-ROM.

Progress Reports Many students find it difficult to keep track of all of the tasksrequired in a project that lasts several weeks. To help you monitorstudent progress, you will find a Teacher’s Progress Report on pp. 15–16. You may choose to use this as a checklist to determinewhether or not a student performed each assigned task on time.

Student’s Progress Report Maintaining the Student’s ProgressReport (pp. 35–36) may help your students better understand theirresponsibilities. The Student’s Progress Report lists the tasks requiredin each phase of the science project, giving students a better under-standing of what the judges may be looking for as well as what youexpect of them. The Student’s Progress Report also can serve as ahandy checklist to remind students what to do next.

Parent’s Progress Report A Parent’s Progress Report is alsoincluded in Resources for Parents on pp. 65–66. Parents may find theprogress reports useful if their child requires help with long-termorganization and keeping track of responsibilities.

Progress Reports and Evaluation You may wish to include theresults of all three progress reports in the final evaluation. Thisapproach will reward students who carefully planned their scienceproject and spent time developing each phase. Including theprogress reports in your evaluation will discourage students fromwaiting until the weekend before the science fair to prepare theentire science project. However you choose to incorporate theprogress reports into your evaluation, be sure to make both studentsand parents aware of the intended use of the progress reports.

Group ProjectsYou may choose to let your students work in groups. If this is thecase, assign the groups before beginning Phase 1. For progressreports, you may still want to evaluate students on an individualbasis. Making this clear at the beginning of the project may encour-age participation from students who tend to let the others do thework. Consult Holt Science & Technology Assessment Checklists &Rubrics for a sample teacher evaluation of a cooperative group activity.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Science Project Development RubricThis rubric focuses on the development process (planning, research, and data collection)of a science project.

Possible Use of Scientific Methodpoints (40 points possible)

40–31 Student designed an experiment with clear control and experimentalgroups that effectively tested a hypothesis.

30–21 Student designed an experiment with control and experimental groups thatadequately tested a hypothesis.

20–11 Student designed an experiment with control and experimental groups thatwere related indirectly to the hypothesis.

10–1 Student designed an experiment that did not effectively test a hypothesisand had inadequate control and experimental groups.

Thoroughness of Research and Data Collection(40 points possible)

40–31 Student thoroughly researched topic, collected data with care and preci-sion, recorded all observations and sources in a science project journal, andachieved a high level of detail.

30–21 Student researched topic well, collected data with care but lack of preci-sion, recorded most observations and sources in a science project journal,and achieved moderate detail.

20–11 Student adequately researched topic, collected data imprecisely, made afair attempt to record observations and sources in a science project journal,and achieved average detail.

10–1 Student poorly researched topic, collected data inappropriately, and made a poor attempt to record observations and sources in a science project jour-nal; research lacked detail.

Originality of Approach and Use of Equipment(20 points possible)

20–16 Student adopted an original, resourceful, and novel approach and had creative design and use of equipment.

15–11 Student extended standard approach and use of equipment and exercisedmoderate creativity.

10–6 Student employed standard approach and use of equipment and exercisedlittle creativity.

5–1 Student used equipment and topic in an ineffective and unimaginative way.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Science Project Presentation RubricThis rubric focuses on the final written report and display of a science project.

Possible Understanding and Scientific Thoughtpoints (40 points possible)

40–31 Student completely understands the topic and uses scientific terminologyproperly and effectively.

30–21 Student demonstrates solid understanding of the topic and adequate use ofscientific terminology.

20–11 Student displays insufficient understanding of the topic and uses very littlescientific terminology.

10–1 Student lacks understanding of the topic and incorrectly uses scientific terminology.

Quality of Oral/Written Presentation(32 points possible)

32–25 Student exhibits an original, resourceful, and novel approach to presenta-tion of topic; paper is creatively and clearly written.

24–17 Student presents topic with standard approach; writing is unimaginativebut effectively gets point across.

16–9 Student’s presentation of topic is incomplete and unimaginative; writinglacks clarity.

8–1 Student’s presentation of topic is ineffective and lacks cohesion; paper lacksclarity and is poorly written.

Effectiveness of Exhibit or Display(28 points possible)

28–22 Layout is logical and imaginative and can be followed easily; student dis-plays creative use of materials.

21–15 Layout of exhibit is acceptable; student demonstrates proper use of materials.

14–8 Layout lacks organization; student exhibits poor but effective use of materials.

7–1 Layout is difficult to understand; student uses materials poorly and ineffectively.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Create Your Own Rubric

Possiblepoints Criteria


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

Name ____________________________________________________ Date __________________ Class _______________

Teacher’s Progress Report

❑ individual project ❑ team member

For each step of each phase of the science project, record the task due date and the datethe student accomplished the task.

Teacher comments:

Date DatePhase 1—Generating an Idea due accomplished

Student brainstormed five possible subjects.

Student came up with two investigative questions for eachtopic.

Student consulted with teacher and parents about project possibilities.

Student chose a suitable topic.

Student formed a hypothesis.

Student discussed topic and hypothesis with teacher and gained approval.

Student recorded ideas in science project journal.

Date DatePhase 2—Research and Planning due accomplished

Student researched the hypothesis.

Student reconfirmed or changed the hypothesis based on further research and then gained teacher approval.

Student contacted all appropriate people before beginning data collection.

Student recorded all details of research so far in a bibliography in the science project journal.

Student filled out the Procedural Plan for Action and obtained necessary signatures.

Student developed the initial plan for display materials.

Teacher’s Progress Report, continued

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Name ____________________________________________________ Date __________________ Class _______________

Date DatePhase 3—Data Collection and Analysis due accomplished

Student conducted the experiment safely.

Student chose an appropriate sample size.

Student performed several trials of his or her experiment.

Student collected data accurately.

Student recorded all data and observations in the science project journal.

Student graphed or charted data and looked for trends.

Student prepared a written conclusion supported by thedata.

Date DatePhase 4—Writing a Report due accomplished

Student answered the questions on page 55.

Student prepared an outline and discussed it with the teacher.

Student prepared a draft and discussed it with the teacher.

Student revised the draft according to the teacher’s feedback.

Student turned in the final draft of the written report.

Date DatePhase 5—Creating and Exhibiting a Display due accomplished

Student sketched possible designs for display.

Student created a display board within the appropriate parameters.

Student displayed the results in a clear and interesting manner.

Student gave an oral presentation as practice for the science fair interview.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Phase 1—Generating an Idea:Management Tips

Begin by distributing the Phase 1 packet to students and parents.Check the timeline and schedule library visits and individual meet-ings with students.

The Journal: An Important Tool Resources for Students periodically reminds students to enter information in theirscience project journals. Students will need their science

project journals as soon as they begin Phase 1. They may use a spiralbound notebook, or they may choose to make a journal by staplingtogether ruled paper or graph paper.

Explain to students that this journal is an important tool that theywill use in every phase of the science project. For instance, they will write in their journal all of the notes that they take while brain-storming and researching. They will also record all data, observations,and calculations in their journals. This way all of the informationneeded for writing a report and preparing a display will be in oneplace. For group projects, every team member must keep a scienceproject journal containing their notes and data.

DURING THIS PHASE, STUDENTS WILL

1. brainstorm five possible subjects

2. come up with two investigative questions per topic

3. consult with teacher and parents about project possibilities

4. choose a suitable topic and investigative question

5. form a hypothesis

6. discuss topic and hypothesis with the teacher and gainapproval

7. record ideas in their science project journal

TIP

Throughout the course of the project, and especially during thebeginning stages, emphasize that one of the main goals of theproject is to have fun. Healthy competition can be exciting,but the purpose of a science project is to learn about sciencethrough inquiry in a hands-on experiment.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Brainstorming for TopicsStudents often find that coming up with a suitable idea is the mostchallenging part of a project. Encourage students to brainstorm andto be creative. Trying to come up with new ideas can be difficult and sometimes embarrassing for sensitive students. Make sure theyfeel free to record any idea, no matter how odd it seems at first.Familiarize yourself with the students’ packets to help them. If youknow of a subject that a student is particularly interested in, offerideas related to that topic.

Caution: Be careful not to take over the brainstorming process for stu-dents. Avoid assigning topics. Unless a student finds something thatinterests him or her, he or she may have a difficult time puttingforth the effort necessary to completing a project.

Suggesting Ideas For students who have trouble coming up withscience project topics, try the following:

• Provide your students with a list of projects that previous stu-dents have successfully completed.

• You may also decide to list some projects that did not work outas planned. Explain why the projects were unsuccessful (tooinvolved, too expensive, not enough time, etc.).

• Holt Science & Technology Long-Term Projects & Research Ideas con-tains several ideas that may be developed into science projects.

• Resources for Students mentions several topics for science projects.

• The Additional Resources section of this booklet also provides alist of books with ideas for science projects (see pp. 28–29).

Forming Investigative QuestionsRequire that all students generate at least two investigative questionsfor each of five topics. If they have 10 investigative questions tochoose from, chances are good that they will be able to settle on aviable investigative question.

Strengthening Research Skills For students who require addi-tional help with researching topics, use the following worksheetsfrom Holt Science & Technology Science Skills Worksheets:

• Worksheet 17: Organizing Your Research

• Worksheet 18: Finding Useful Sources

• Worksheet 19: Researching on the Web

TIP

The timelines and Resources for Students suggest a library tripearly in Phase 1, after a student has brainstormed for topics.Before or during the scheduled library trips, brief students onhow to use library resources.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

The Teacher-Student MeetingsThis is the best time to meet with students individually to ensurethat they are on the right track. Discuss their project options, andhelp them decide which investigative question they will choose.Steer them away from projects that would exceed a reasonable budget or projects that may risk disqualification. During the meet-ings, it would be helpful for you to have a copy of the science fairrules handy to point out problems that may make a particular proj-ect difficult. For example, many science fairs prohibit the display ofchemicals. A student may be allowed to perform a supervised proce-dure with chemicals during the data collection phase of the project,but the rules prohibiting chemicals would limit the display.

Forming a HypothesisWhen students have chosen their topics, it is time for them to forma hypothesis. Having researched their topic thoroughly, students arenow able to make an educated guess that answers their investigativequestion. Make sure students understand the scientific method.Emphasize that they will not design an experiment in order to yieldresults that support the hypothesis they have formed. Instead, theywill design an experiment to test the hypothesis. There is often greatpressure to be right about the hypothesis, but that is not the point ofa science project. The purpose is to discover whether the hypothesisis supported or disproved by the experimental results. The quality ofthe project is independent of the accuracy of the hypothesis.

At the end of Phase 1, make sure you are still following thetimeline. Check students’ progress on their Student’s Progress Reportand Parent’s Progress Report.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Phase 2—Research and Planning:Management Tips

ResearchYou may feel it is necessary to give students a further lesson onInternet research or library research. The library may have a list ofuseful sources that students can refer to while planning their experi-ments. You may wish to meet with the librarian to discuss what thestudents will be researching so that he or she can prepare for theclass visit. Also, Additional Resources (page 29) provides a list thatincludes books about developing science projects. Remind studentsto record all research in their science project journals.

Students may wish to obtain information using other methods,such as seeking an interview with a scientist or writing a letter to acompany. Encourage students to contact all sources early in Phase 2in order to allow plenty of time for a response. The student packetincludes a sample letter for students who wish to contact someoneabout information needed for their science project.

Bibliography Make sure students are familiar with the style ofbibliography that you require. Resources for Students encourages stu-dents to record all sources used, including interviews, in their sci-ence project journals. Recording all sources during the researchphase will give students a head start on the bibliographies that theywill need for the written report and the display.

Procedural PlanStudents will plan how they are going to test their investigativequestions. Their packets include a brief discussion of control groupsversus experimental groups and dependent variables versus inde-pendent variables. You may want to discuss these terms further inclass. Once each student has an idea of how to scientifically test his or her hypothesis, you may require students to fill out theProcedural Plan for Action (page 47) and the Task List (page 48).

Caution: Watch for projects that will require too much time, money,or effort. Now is the time for the student to determine whether theprocedural plan for an experiment exceeds budget or time limits. Atthis point, it would not be too late for a student to choose a differ-ent topic. However, changing a project any later than this stage maypose a problem in meeting the deadlines on the timeline.


1. research the hypothesis

2. change or reconfirm the hypothesis with the teacher

3. contact all appropriate people

4. record all research sources in their science project journal

5. fill out the Procedural Plan for Action and obtain signatures

6. develop the initial plan for display materials



Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Obtaining Equipment and MaterialsCutting Costs Remind students to keep cost and availability ofmaterials in mind when planning a project. Some ideas require moreresources than are available within a limited budget. Not all expen-sive ideas need to be discarded. Encourage students to come up withless expensive ways to conduct their experiment or ways to performa similar yet less costly experiment within the chosen topic. Forprices and availability of materials, provide students with a list oflocal businesses that carry scientific and laboratory supplies (see page 28).

After students have chosen a hypothesis and planned their proj-ect, it is important to anticipate costs. When preparing a budget, astudent should consider the following expenses:

• Science fair entry fee• Science fair travel expenses

• Library trips

• Book purchases

• Journal purchase

• Materials necessary for experimentation

• Materials necessary for display

Creativity Counts Judges often take creative use of materials intoaccount when judging a science fair; a student who has built abarometer will likely be recognized as more motivated than a stu-dent who purchased one. In other words, high-dollar projects willnot be recognized as better just because they employ fancier equip-ment. The library and Internet may provide resources with sugges-tions on how to make equipment using inexpensive materials.

Outside Sponsors Also, many businesses and institutions will lendequipment to young scientists. Encourage your students to write to such businesses for help in obtaining expensive equipment ormaterials for their science projects. Be sure that the schedule allowsenough time for students to receive a response. (This approach toprocuring equipment works best with an 8-week timeline.)

MONEY-RAISING IDEAS

The following are a few ideas for raising funds to help defray science project expenses:

• A local business may be willing to act as a monetary sponsor in exchange for anadvertisement at the event or in the event program.

• Schools participating in science fairs may hold raffles to raise money for projects.

• Parents may be willing to donate materials (or time) to support the science fair.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Phase 3—Data Collection and Analysis:Management Tips

Safety First! Safety is of particular concern during the data collec-tion phase. The timelines allow one class period for a brief review of safety before students begin collecting data. The in-class data collec-tion days give you a chance to supervise safety. Remind students tohave an adult supervise all data collection at home.

In-Class Data CollectionThe following tips may be helpful during in-class data collection:

• Take a moment in class to review the difference between quali-tative data and quantitative data. Go over with your studentsthe kinds of projects that call for each type of data.

• Make sure that students understand the importance of using anadequate sample size, as discussed in Resources for Students onpage 50.

• Explain that in order for data to be valid, a researcher must per-form several trials of an experiment.

• Watch to see that students measure accurately. (You may chooseto distribute the SI Unit Conversion Chart on page 30.)

• Check students’ science project journals to make sure that theykeep a neat record of all aspects of the project.

• If a student’s project does not lend itself to collecting data inclass, ask the student to bring in a book he or she is reading forcontinued research so that class time will be used effectively.

• Students who have collected all the data they need can use thein-class data collection days to work on analyzing the data.


1. conduct experiments safely

2. choose an appropriate sample size

3. perform several trials of the experiment

4. collect data accurately

5. record all data and observations in their science project journal

6. graph or chart the data and look for trends

7. prepare a written conclusion supported by the data


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Strengthening Data Collection Skills For students who requireadditional help with data collection, use the following worksheetsfrom Holt Science & Technology Science Skills Worksheets:

• Worksheet 14: Using the International System of Units (SI)

• Worksheet 15: Measuring

• Worksheet 23: Science Drawing

Analysis and ConclusionsAnalysis When students have finished collecting data and makingobservations, they can begin the analysis. As part of the analysis, stu-dents will make charts and graphs in their science project journals.Page 54 includes a sheet of graph paper that can be used for graph-ing purposes. Resources for Students discusses graphing, which youmay want to review in class, along with a brief lesson on usefulmathematical terms, such as median and mean. Instruct students toexamine the charts and graphs for trends and record these trendsand all calculations in their journal.

Strengthening Graphing and Analysis Skills For studentswho require additional help with graphing and analysis, use the fol-lowing worksheets from Holt Science & Technology Science SkillsWorksheets:

• Worksheet 25: Introduction to Graphs

• Worksheet 26: Grasping Graphing

• Worksheet 27: Interpreting Your Data

• Worksheet 28: Recognizing Bias in Graphs

• Worksheet 29: Making Data Meaningful

Conclusions In the conclusion, students will determine whetherthe results support or disprove the hypothesis. Discourage studentsfrom simply writing opinions in the conclusion. Instead have stu-dents discuss factors that contributed to the results and explain howthey would control these factors if the experiment were performedagain.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Phase 4—Writing a Report: ManagementTips

Assigning a Written Report If the science fair you are enteringrequires a written report, you will need to share the particulars (howlong it should be, whether it must be typed, etc.) with your studentsand their parents. Not all science fairs require a written report, but apaper gives students the chance to express what about the projectmeant the most to them and to organize their thoughts for an oralpresentation. It is also a very important part of any scientific endeavor.

Having Fun Have your students use the italicized questions on page 55 of Resources for Students as a guideline for writing theirreports. By asking students to answer questions about their personalexperiences with the emphasis on what they enjoyed about doing ascience project, you can reinforce that the science fair can be fun.The more fun they have writing the report, the easier it will be tocomplete and the more interesting it will be to read.

Writing TipsUse the following tips to help students with writing:

• Require students to first write an outline for the written report.You may need to review the outlining process in class.

• Explain how index cards that are grouped together by subjectcan be helpful in writing a paper.

• Written reports can greatly improve when students write more than one draft. You may wish to add more drafts to the timeline.

Strengthening Writing Skills For students who require addi-tional help with science writing, use Worksheet 22: Science Writingfrom Holt Science & Technology Science Skills Worksheets.


1. answer the questions on page 55

2. prepare an outline and discuss it with the teacher

3. prepare a draft and discuss it with the teacher

4. revise the draft according to the teacher’s feedback

5. turn in a completed draft


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Feedback and AssessmentGiving feedback to a student need not be difficult. The following tipsmay help:

• Try to mention both the strong and weak points of a draft.

• Encourage students to do several drafts, if needed, and to ask anadult to read each one.

• Peer editing may be helpful and will give students a chance tosee how their friends are handling similar problems.

• When assessing a written report, be aware that students’ differ-ent writing abilities can affect the overall quality of presenta-tion. Try not to let that overshadow the quality of the scientificcontent.


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Phase 5—Creating and Exhibiting aDisplay: Management Tips

The Display BoardA typical display is a trifold board made from corrugated cardboard,foam core, or corkboard. Impress upon students the importance ofmeasuring the display board more than once to ensure that it fits thesize constraints of the science fair. Many science fairs require thatthe display be no more than 274 cm tall, 122 cm wide, and 76 cmdeep. Having an oversized display can disqualify the entire project,no matter the quality of the work. Be aware that certain materials areoften prohibited in the display area.

A Sample Display You may want to set up a successful sample dis-play in your classroom. Students can study the sample display upclose, noticing the neatness of the lettering, the layout of the dis-play, and the type of information contained in each section. Showstudents how a display board can have a large middle section andtwo smaller “wings” on the left and right that can fold up, making adisplay more portable.

Is the Data Clearly Presented and Relevant?You may decide to have conferences with students about the datathat they plan to present. Check charts and graphs for accuracy andreadability. Make sure that the information shown in the figures isrelevant to the purpose, hypothesis, and conclusion. The purpose ofa display is to present the information in the clearest manner possi-ble so that the judges will be able to recognize quickly that the stu-dent performed a successful science project.

Display Design Although the display introduces the project, thedesign should not distract from the content. Encourage students tobe creative with borders, font, and layout but not to the point that ajudge would find it difficult to read the information contained inthe display. Illustrations should be informative, not just decorative.A sleek, mature, and professional style can impress the judges, butthey prefer presentations which are unique and are clearly a productof the student who created it.


1. sketch possible designs for the display

2. create a display board within the appropriate parameters

3. display results in a clear and interesting manner

4. give an oral presentation as practice for the science fair interview


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

Preparing for the InterviewMany science fairs require that a student give a presentation abouthis or her project to the judges. The presentation summarizes eachstep of the science project: why the student chose his or her subject,a statement of the hypothesis, what kind of data was collected, abrief summary of the data, and the conclusions that the studentcame to when he or she analyzed the data. Students can also discusshow they would do the experiment differently if they were to startover again or what other questions arose during their research.

A Captive Audience If the science fair your students are enteringrequires an interview, it is in your students’ best interest to practicethe presentations at least once before the science fair. Requiring anoral presentation in front of the class can be beneficial to all stu-dents. It will give them an opportunity to practice speaking in frontof a group and to determine the most effective presentation styles bywatching each other. An oral presentation will give you an opportu-nity to evaluate what students have done, as well as give personalfeedback that will be very helpful during the interview with thejudges.

During the interview, the judges will likely ask students a fewquestions. To prepare your students for this, ask questions duringtheir oral presentation to the class. Encourage other students to askquestions as well. Also, suggest that they make a list of possible ques-tions the judges could ask and possible answers to those questions.

Practice, and Practice Again Some students dread the interviewpart of the science fair. The more practice a student gets for theinterview, the more comfortable he or she will be speaking to thejudges. Encourage students to practice as often as possible and infront of as many people as possible. For instance, students may wantto practice by giving their presentation to family members at home.Remind them to relax and have fun.


Additional ResourcesOn the next few pages, you will find resources that may be helpfulin the science fair process. Included are:

• a list of suppliers of scientific laboratory equipment

• the address and phone number of Science Service, a companythat supports and regulates science fair administration

• a bibliography of books that can help students choose, design,and complete a science project

• a standard SI unit conversion chart to help students learn towork in the SI system

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


Additional ResourcesThe following list is a compilation of resources for students andteachers.

Equipment SuppliersThe following is a list of a few scientific supply companies that spe-cialize in laboratory equipment:

Carolina Biological Supply Co.2600 York RoadBurlington, NC 27215(800) 334-5551

Custom Lab Supply801 98th AvenueOakland, CA 94603(510) 633-1329

Science Kit and Boreal Labs777 East Park DriveTonawanda, NY 14150(800) 828-7777

WARD’s Natural Science Establishment, Inc.5100 W. Henrietta Rd.Rochester, NY 14585(800) 962-2660

Science Fair AdministrationScience Service, Inc.1719 North Street, NWWashington, DC 20026(202) 785-2255


Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.

PA

RT 1

: R

ESO

UR

CES F

OR

TEA

CH

ER

S

▼▼▼

BooksBeller, Joel. So You Want to Do a Science Project! Paramus, N.J.: Prentice

Hall, 1984.

Bochinski, Julianne. The Complete Handbook of Science Fair Projects.New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.

Bombaugh, Ruth. Science Fair Success. Berkeley Heights, N.J.: EnslowPublishers, 1990.

Bonnet, Robert and Daniel Keen. Botany: 49 Science Fair Projects. NewYork: McGraw-Hill, 1989.

Bonnet, Robert and Daniel Keen. Earth Science: 49 Science Fair Projects.New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990.

Brisk, Marion. 1001 Ideas for Science Projects. New York: Macmillan,1992.

Cook, James. The Thomas Edison Book of Easy and IncredibleExperiments. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1988.

Iritz, Maxine. Science Fair: Developing a Successful and Fun Project. NewYork: McGraw-Hill, 1987.

Mandell, Muriel. Simple Science Experiments with Everyday Materials.New York: Sterling Publishing, 1989.

Tant, Carl. Projects: Making Hands-On Science Easy. Angleton, Texas:Biotech Publishing, 1992.

Tocci, Salvatore. How to Do a Science Fair Project. Danbury, Conn.:Franklin Watts, 1989.

Wolfe, Connie. Search: A Research Guide for Science Fairs andIndependent Study. Tucson, Ariz.: Zephyr Press, 1988.

Wood, Robert. Physics for Kids: 49 Easy Experiments with Heat. BlueRidge Summit, Penn.: TAB Books, 1990.

Cop

yrig

ht ©

by

Hol

t, R

ineh

art

and

Win

ston

. A

ll rig

hts

rese

rved

.


SI U

nit

Co

nve

rsio

n C

har

t

Len

gth

1 in

ch=

2.54

cen

timet

ers

1 ce

ntim

eter

=0.

39 in

ch1

foot

=30

.48

cent

imet

ers

1 ce

ntim

eter

=0.

03 f

oot

1 fo

ot=

0.30

met

er1

met

er=

3.28

fee

t1

yard

=0.

91 m

eter

1 m

eter

=1.

09 y

ards

1 m

ile=

1.61

kilo

met

ers

1 ki

lom

eter

=0.

62 m

ile

Mas

s1

ounc

e=

28.3

5 gr

ams

1 gr

am=

0.35

oun

ce1

pou

nd=

0.45

kilo

gram

1 ki

logr

am=

2.20

pou

nds

Vo

lum

e1

teas

poo

n=

4.93

mill

ilite

rs1

mill

ilite

r=

0.20

tea

spoo

n1

tabl

esp

oon

=14

.79

mill

ilter

s1

mill

ilite

r=

0.07

tab

lesp

oon

1 flu

id o

unce

=29

.57

mill

ilite

rs1

mill

ilite

r=

0.03

flu

id o

unce

1 cu

p=

0.24

lite

r1

liter

=4.

23 c

ups

1 p

int

=0.

47 li

ter

1 lit

er=

2.11

pin

ts1

qua

rt=

0.95

lite

r1

liter

=1.

06 q

uart

s1

gallo

n=

3.79

lite

rs1

liter

=0.

26 g

allo

n

Free

zin

g p

oin

t o

f w

ater

32°F

=0°

C

Bo

ilin

g p

oin

t o

f w

ater

212°

F=

100°

C

To c

on

vert

°F

to °

C(°

F –

32)

� �5 9�

To c

on

vert

°C

to

°F

°C �

�9 5� �

32

Science Fair Guide RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Documents

Transcript of Science Fair Guide RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS